Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to baffles for fuel tanks and more particularly to a noise abatement baffle to prevent noise caused by shifting of fuel within a fuel tank.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern-day cars have plastic fuel tanks designed to fit around other components on the underside of a vehicle. Often these tanks are longer from the front part of the vehicle to the back than the tanks are wide. During stopping and starting of the vehicle, noise is often generated as the fuel shifts forwardly and rearwardly.
Baffles to stop fuel shifting are known devices. To put a baffle in a steel fuel tank, the bottom half of the fuel tank can have a baffle installed in it before it is welded to the top half thereof. But many modern fuel tanks are blow molded from a plastic material. It is difficult, if not impossible, to blow mold baffles into a plastic fuel tank. So there is a problem of how to install a baffle into a plastic fuel tank.
There is also a dilemma presented by the fact that a regular baffle comprising a wall with holes in it apparently does not completely solve the noise problem in a plastic fuel tank. Placing a semi-rigid foam baffle in the tank that permits flow therethrough has been determined to be difficult to install and to hold in position. Airplane tanks and race car tanks, for example, have used a polyurethane safety foam which fills the entire tank for the purpose of preventing fuel movement and for other purposes. Filling the entire tank with a polyurethane safety foam, however, has not been deemed to be practical for most passenger and commercial vehicles.
Accordingly, there is a need for a noise abatement filter for vehicle tanks which would overcome the aforementioned problems.
The present invention relates generally to a fuel tank with a baffle disposed therein at an intermediate place between the two ends thereof for preventing noise caused when fuel shifts in the fuel tank from one end to the other. In a preferred embodiment, the baffle is constructed of a fiberglass filter media material. Also in a preferred embodiment, the baffle is collapsible so that it can be inserted into an opening in the top of a plastic fuel tank and then allowed to return to its original larger height after it is in the tank whereby it will be held by a biasing pressure in a desired position within the tank.
An object of the present invention is to provide a noise abatement filter for fuel tanks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a noise abatement filter which uses a fiberglass filter medium.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a noise abatement filter which includes a baffle structure which is collapsible so that it will fit into an opening in the top of a fuel tank and then, once in proper position within the tank, will return to its expanded position and be held in a desired position within the tank.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.